Friday, 27 April 2012

Einstein was prompted to write the list when, in 1914, he realised that after 11 years, his marriage to first wife Maric - one of the first women to study mathematics and physics in Europe - was destined for failure. The scientist ordered that she keep his rooms tidy, bring him three meals a day (to be eaten in his room), keep his clothes and laundry in good order, and keep his bedroom and study neat (she should not use his desk, of course)

Albert Einstein may be regarded as one of the world's most important scientists but despite his innumerable professional successes, he found it hard to sustain a thriving personal life, according to a new book.

In fact, Einstein specified in his list of conditions that she must not expect Einstein to either sit with her, or accompany her outside of the house - and she must stop talking when he requests.

She must 'renounce all personal relations' not strictly necessary for social reasons - which should not include expecting to be accompanied on social engagements.lso, Einstein stipulated that his wife should not expect any intimacy from him, should not reproach him in any way; should stop talking to him if he requested it; should leave his bedroom or study immediately without protest if requested, and should refrain from belittling him in front of the children, either through words or behaviour.

However, just a few months after he issued his misogynistic manifesto, she left Einstein in Berlin and moved with their sons, Hans Albert and Eduard (their daughter, Lieserl, born in 1902, was given up for adoption), to Zurich.

As a testimony to that fact, the father of the theory of relativity is known to have had many liaisons throughout his marriage to Maric. In fact, he became involved with Elsa, a first cousin who would become his second wife, in 1912, when he was still married to his first wife.

Although Einstein married Elsa in 1919, within four years he was already involved with Bette Neumann, his secretary and the niece of one of his friends.

Thursday, 26 April 2012

We are sure you all have heard this or read this many times before. But not all of us can actually put this into practise. We do mess up our friendships, relationships by saying things we shouldn’t have just because we were too angry to watch our words. If you’ve found yourself in a similar soup many times, then it is necessary for you to take steps to control this self-destructive behaviour.

1. Switch off

The moment you find yourself getting too angry and on the verge of blurting out what you know you shouldn’t, we advise you to shut your brain off. Yes, completely switch off from whatever anyone is saying and start ignoring the situation that is the reason behind this uncontrollable anger. The moment you retract into your safety cocoon, and detach yourself from the happenings, you will be able to focus on the larger picture and not impulsively say things you know you shouldn’t.

2. Breathe

Breathe from your gut. Breathe in and breathe out and totally relax your senses. Breathing is an age old, tried and tested technique that will help you to calm down. It may sound silly to you and you may wonder how one can stop being angry and start focusing on one’s breathing. Well, you can combine techniques one and two. Switch off and focus on your breathing. The purpose is to divert your attention and gain control over your anger.

3. Think and react

Once you have taken the time out and relaxed your senses, you can ponder over the situation and get to the crux of what is troubling you. This unbiased evaluation of the situation will help you look at things/issues reasonably. A cool head will help you evaluate what is wrong and what is not and will stop you from messing things up unnecessarily because of anger.

4. Talk calmly, apologise if you must

After you’ve analysed the situation you can continue the argument in a dignified, composed manner. Touch on points of relevance and cut the unnecessary finger-pointing and blame game out. Check your tone and voice levels and apologise if you have gone wrong somewhere.

This is an easy 4 step anger control process. Practise it whenever you get angry, and with time you will find the anger abating and gradually reducing in intensity.

Looking after your back, is by far, one of the most important things you can do as part of your daily routine. Anyone who’s ever had a back ache will agree on how it affects every other aspect of your life and can range from mild discomfort to being utterly debilitating.

The back extends from the neck, down to the buttocks, lending support to many structures and organs en route like the ribs and the pelvis. The back is formed by bones called vertebrae which are placed one on top of the other to form the spine.

There are many causes of backaches and most of them can be prevented by applying some basic principles, while others are serious enough to prompt a visit to the physician. Here are some general tips one can follow to keep the back in good shape.

1. Pay attention to your posture:

This cannot be said enough. Slouching, sitting on sofas which do not offer firm support to the back and sleeping in an awkward position may give you a stiff back the next morning. Reclining in a chair without support to the lower back in the form of a cushion is a no-no. Sleeping on the side in the foetal position is the best way to take the pressure off a weak back.

Do you have a desk job? Then this workplace ergonomics article is a must for you.

2. Maintain optimum weight:

When you put on more weight than your frame can carry, you put pressure on the muscles of the back and abdomen which were not designed to be overloaded. This kind of backache is simply the muscles protesting against the added burden.

Do it like a supermodel! Yaana Gupta’s fitness secrets revealed.

3. Avoid direct pressure on the spine:

When someone other than a professional offers to give you a back massage they may put pressure directly over the spine. This is a wrong technique and may further compound the problem. The best way is to massage on both sides of the spine in a symmetrical fashion with circular motions.

4. Be active and on the move:

Being in any one posture for long intervals of time causes a sore back. If you have a desk job, make sure you walk during your coffee and lunch breaks. This improves your blood circulation and uses the muscles to an extent.

Walk, walk, walk! Here are 10 reasons why walking rocks.

5. Bend correctly:

While bending, one must remember not to bend from the waist but from the knees keeping the back straight as far as possible. This is especially important while lifting luggage or heavy items.

6. Increase exercise reps slowly and steadily:Many people injure their backs while working out in the gym because of lack of correct instruction. Overdoing abdominal crunches, using heavier weights than you are used to and increasing your reps drastically will land you with a bad back. You land up with a muscle strain and then have to ease off or avoid the workout altogether.

Here’s why you should never underestimate the importance of a warm-up.

7. For an acute backache:

Put up your feet and get some rest. Use ice packs a few times a day for the first two days, then switch over to heat in the form of hot compresses or a hot water bag.

8. Stretch a sore back:

Stretching is a great way to relieve backache. While lying flat on the bed, bring your knees slowly to your chest and put a little pressure then relax and repeat. This is helpful for lower back pain.

9. Get out of bed right:

When the alarm clock rings every morning the first thought is to hurry out of bed. Resist the thought and take your time. First roll over to the edge of the bed and lie flat on your back. Then bring your feet down to the floor and bend your upper body sideways. Do not get up vertically and sit in bed as that puts a lot of pressure on the back.

Ergonomics for the bedroom. Read and reap the benefits.

10. Medication:

An aspirin a day can help chronic backaches, which last for days together due to their anti-inflammatory effect. An alternative is ibuprofen or another NSAID. Before starting on medication, check with your doctor first.

Friday, 20 April 2012

Acne or pimples are among the most common of skin problems with a global prevalence.

Earlier, it was believed that only those in their teens or late-teens are prone to developing acne. Now, pimples due to stress, lifestyle choices, hormonal changes and various forms of adult acne have been discovered.

Further, there is little clarity about how acne can be comprehensively cured. Most over-the-counter creams and lotions are ineffective. Further, some of them tend to irritate the skin. This article takes a different approach to treating acne and pimples, i.e. using home remedies that are safer and help to promote overall, healthy skin. Your choices for treating acne in a natural way include:

Treating Acne at Home with Orange Peel

Orange Peel is an easy home remedy. It provides the skin an instant boost of vitamin C that helps to neutralize the inflammation of pimples. To prepare the peel, you need some shreds of orange skin. Just grind them and add some water. Use the paste like a face mask. Keep it on for about 15 minutes. However, if you have an established allergy to vitamin C, avoid this. Another useful home remedy that utilizes the healing power of vitamin C is using lemon juice. Mix equal amounts of lemon juice with honey. Apply this in the form of small drops, dabbed on the acne. Allow this to dry for a couple of hours and then rinse your face.

Treating Acne due to Blood Impurities

Garlic is among the most potent of natural destroyers of toxic compounds found in the human body. When consumed whole, cloves of raw garlic help to boost the metabolism. This helps the body to detoxify within a few days. This is particularly useful for pimples due to impurities in the blood.

Treating Summer Break-out of Acne

Coriander juice is very cooling and an ideal acne aid for the summer months. Mix some coriander juice with half a tablespoon of turmeric powder. This mixture needs to be lightly dabbed on the skin before going to bed. Wash the face in the morning. The other option is to use mint juice instead of coriander juice. This is particularly useful for the small zits that appear on the forehead during summers.

Acne Home Remedy for Dry Skin

People with dry skin have a dual problem. Firstly, their dry skin creates too much of debris that tends to clog the pores and causes acne. Secondly, they cannot use moisturizing aids due to the presence of acne. The solution lies in using a paste made of honey and some ground almonds. This is best done when the temperatures aren't scorching. The paste needs to be applied all over the face and left for about 20 minutes. Rinse the face with cold water and wipe it with a dry towel.

Fenugreek & Cumin for All Types of Acne

Fenugreek is among the more recommended of home remedies for treating pimples if you have a comedogenic skin. This means your skin has a tendency to develop acne when exposed to the sun or harsh climatic conditions or due to the smallest of changes in your lifestyle. Here, a paste made of fenugreek seeds is a useful preventative aid. However, if you want to control the sudden breakout of pimples, you need to use cumin. This is a rich source of zinc. Just ground some cumin, mix it with water and apply the paste on the pimples before retiring to bed. In the morning, you will find the size and redness of the zits remarkably reduced.Dietary Recommendations to Treat Pimples: Skin Vitamins & Zinc

Some vitamins are particularly healthy for keeping the skin healthy and helping it recover from an acne breakout. This is why vitamin A is among the most common of ingredients among acne treatment creams. To ensure your vitamin A intake is sufficient, try to eat more of sweet potatoes, eggs, lean meats and pumpkin. Vitamin B3 or Niacin is the other, most important of skin vitamins. Ensure that your intake of mushrooms, fish, brinjal, green peas, carrots, spinach, fennel, cauliflower and chicken is high to sustain appreciable amounts of niacin. Vitamin E is among the most critical of skin vitamins from the perspective of helping it prevent the onset of acne. Thus, you need to ensure greater intake of tomatoes, sprouts and papaya. Oats, mushrooms and spinach are good sources of dietary zinc. This rare, micro-nutrient is the hidden ingredient in most pimple-zapping cosmetic aids.

Here, the emphasis is on exploring acne cures that don’t put forth risks associated with steroidal and chemically-formulated creams. Pills recommended for curing acne often contain hormone-affecting compounds that can be quite harmful.

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Slather on sunscreen, check your skin regularly for suspicious marks and moles—for the past four years, Cosmo has been reminding readers to adopt these three big-picture healthy-skin habits so you don't end up another skin-cancer statistic. The numbers are scary: cases of melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—among young women have doubled in the past few decades, and melanoma is the most prevalent cancer in women in their 20s.

But protecting yourself is more than just adopting a few large-scale pro-active measures. It's also crucial that you take a close look at your lifestyle and catch any hidden risk factors that leave you more susceptible to skin cancer without your even realising it. With this in mind, we consulted top dermatologists, zeroing in on the five mistakes young women make.

Mistake 1:You use moisturiser as sunscreenMoisturiser infused with sunscreen is one of the best beauty-product combos since the compact, affording you extra SPF protection. The problem, however, is relying on it as your only SPF defense.

"Many moisturisers have an SPF of only 15, and because it's more of a beauty product, women tend not to apply it as thickly as they should, says Stanley J. Miller, M.D, associate professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. "They might be getting an SPF of only about 7...and even less if they don't re-apply their moisturiser every couple of hours. While moisturiser is a must for skin hydration, if you're going to be outside for more than 15 minutes, apply a facial sunscreen as well.

Mistake 2:You haven't checked out your family cancer historyTrue, most cases of skin cancer—especially basal cell and squa mous cell carcinomas, the less deadly forms of the disease—are directly caused by exposure to UV rays from either too much sun exposure or indoor tanning. But there's also a genetic component to skin cancer that leaves some people more susceptible than others. This is especially important when it comes to melanoma.

The facts: one first-degree relative (mom, dad, or sibling) with melanoma gives you up to a threetimes-greater risk of the disease over someone with no family history, according to a study in the Journal Of Investigative Dermatology. It also sets you up for developing melanoma earlier: the American Society of Clinical Oncology reports that the average age for melanoma to be diagnosed in people with a family history is in their 30s; the average age among the general public is in their 50s.

"There's a strong hereditary pre-disposition to melanoma—behaviours like the whole family balking at using sunscreen can play a role, but it also boils down to genetics, explains Albert Lefkovits, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. If a second-degree relative (grandparents, cousins) has had melanoma, your risk may be one-and-a-half times greater. And it's not about a family history of just skin cancer but other cancers as well. You should alert your dermatologist if anyone in your family has had both melanoma and pancreatic cancer or melanoma and breast or ovarian cancers. At least two genes have been linked to familial melanoma, and some mutations in these genes may predispose you to these other cancers.

Mistake 3:You bum a few cigarettes sometimesLighting up at parties or grabbing a cigarette or two at happy hour may allow you to stay just shy of officially being tagged a smoker. But in terms of the damage it does, your not-every-day habit still raises your risk.

Toxins in cigarette smoke are poison to your skin cells. Not only do these toxins accelerate the aging process so skin develops fine lines and age spots, but they also trigger the DNA damage that can put you in line for skin cancer, says Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D., co-director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery. This may explain why studies have shown that smokers have higher rates of squamous cell carcinoma.

If that's not enough, having smoke wafting around your face also contributes to DNA damage as well as fine lines.

Mistake 4:You don't check your head and neck for suspicious marksOnly about 6 percent of melanomas strike on the head or neck. But when they do, they're deadlier: a 2008 University of North Carolina study found that people with scalp or neck melanomas die at nearly two times the rate of those with it on their arms or legs.

"There are a lot of blood vessels in the scalp and neck, which may make it easier for melanoma to circulate through the body and cause cancer in other organs, says Naomi Lawrence, M.D., director of dermasurgery at Cooper Hospital in New Jersey and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. "Your hair may also hide these cancers, so you don't find them until they are at a later stage.

Make it easier to see your scalp by parting your hair with a blow dryer or brush to check it in a mirror. Or ask your stylist to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. "A lot of my patients were sent to me by their hair dresser or barber, says Dr Lawrence.

Mistake 5:You work (or once worked) outdoors and forgot about the sunBecause sun damage is cumulative, even bits of unprotected exposure on the job—15 minutes of waitressing at an outdoor cafe, 25 minutes of teaching swimming—increase your cancer odds if you went sans sunscreen.

If your outdoor workdays are in the past, be a little more proactive about checking for marks and moles, suggests Dr Lefkovits, and let your dermatologist know your job history. Should you currently work outside, slather on sunscreen, protect yourself with a hat and/or sunglasses, and take breaks in the shade.